I want a different me! Do you?

[DoctorDolittle]

Accountability thread. I piled on a huge amount of weight at start of menopause, was ravenous all the time, and am really struggling to lose it. I thought an accountability thread that also focused on increasing self-care and self-worth would be good.

So - food wise I think I’ll try “no snacks”, that gives some wiggle room with meals to be what I most fancy/will fit in with kids the most.

Self-care: I bought a whole new skincare regime a month ago, just start using it woman!!! Am pampering my decades-long neglected feet each night and have booked in to salon for eyelash tint and curl as now suddenly need to wear glasses and want to feel better about eye area behind them.

Fluids!!!

Any company would be welcome 😊

Enjoying reading all these updates. My input has been rather sporadic but I finally got under the 12st mark that’s been taunting me and today I was 11st 8. I did some unexpected intermittent fasting too… drove 2 hours to look at a new car, bought it but the process took forever, drove home, getting in at 7pm because it’s the bank holiday and I live in the West Country so everyone else was travelling this way too. The dealer had hot drinks and I had a hot chocolate because I hadn’t eaten anything all day. Really enjoyed my chicken thighs, courgette and whole wheat pasta dinner. Tomorrow will feature a dog walk and nothing else!

well done @DoctorDolittle for breaking the 13st barrier -why is the number at the start of the scales so bloody stubborn?! Keep going everyone.

Hoping to break that 13 stone barrier soon too.
@Chocolateeggsarebetterthannormalchocolate Ds1 did Music A level. Music teachers saved his sanity!
So interested to listen to that Mozart piece in D.
On train now to Holyhead as back to Ireland again this week. Having rather too many sandwiches as the internet on my phone didnt work. 😊
Lunch at home was hardboiled egg, butternut squash soup and some seeded rye bread.
There are no (weighing)scales where I'm going!
Was thinking about our primary school back in 1970s and singing "Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron" and "Charlie is My Darling" round the piano and hymns galore, @DrDolittle

Twas on a Monday morning
That I Beheld my darling
She looked so sweet and charming
In Every High Degree....😅
Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron
She Stole my heart away!!

@TeenLifeMum glad you’re doing so well. Hope you have good weather for your dog walk today.

@Nettleskeins Morning has Broken still brings a lump to my throat.

Today’s plans are long dog walk, the village plant & bake sale, a walk round the pontoons admiring all the boats and dinner out in our favourite café; planning to have either a good Greek salad or a jacket spud. Wish the weather was nicer, it’s back to 9C and grey.

Thank you @DoctorDolittle - I like that suggestion. I'll think of a few, very achievable, things today in different areas that will make a difference. Key will be starting them early!

Great loss this week @Chocolateeggsarebetterthannormalchocolate - you're doing brilliantly! Do you find the time to play in an orchestra or similar? I would love to do that (zero chance of course with my instrument, or ability!). My brother has played Violin in the same orchestra his while adult life - great hobby to have.

@Verlag not now I have DS. I played in a county one when I was in college and did 3 tours abroad with them. Then I joined a more local one but it was still out of the way from work so stopped going. And now even playing my clarinet makes the dog howl 🤣 I'd love DS to be able to play piano because I'm gutted I can't play properly!

@Chocolateeggsarebetterthannormalchocolate Yes, a key reason why my brother has been able to be consistent with so many clubs/activities for decades is not having to stop for children! I'm at the other side of it now, so enjoying being able to pick things up again.

Well technically at least - need to shift that weight before I can pick up the physical activity! I was in a mountaineering club pre DC - now an hours gentle flat walk is a rare thing.

I got up at 6.15 am and I still haven't managed to get dressed yet! Not that this is unusual...

@Verlag mountaineering club sounds fab! Is it something you and the DC could do together? I'd love to find an activity me and DS could do when he's older, although I'd like him to try some sports and that's definitely not my thing! I like Geocaching so looking forward to him being old enough and understand the hunting part!

I don't blame you on the not getting ready yet part.. its Saturday! We've been driving 4 hours so far for a little holiday while it's half term!

I did Geocaching with my son when he was younger - think around 8/9/10. Still got a travel bug out there - in Sweden now I think.

I've got issues with my feet/foot (mainly plantar fasciitis) so walking club a no go at the moment. Mountaineering club a definitely no go as now live no where near mountains or even bigger hills (I used to live in Scotland).

@verlag foot issues can be soul-destroying, they impact everything.

A lovely afternoon sat at the outer harbour watching the Scottish Series racing…the urge to get my own boat is very strong! I used to liveaboard thirty years ago pre children.

That sounds amazing @DoctorDolittle ! I did wonder if you lived in Scotland. Lucky you! Do you think you will get a boat again one day?

@verlag yes I’m in the beautiful west coast of Scotland , and very lucky as the area is both golden sands for miles, and wooded too. My 5 year plan includes buying a nice (old and cheap) yacht for us. I am most at peace on water.

Sounds perfect @DoctorDolittle

I've got a slight hangover. No proper dinner last night - had a slice of bread with peanut butter. That needs to be the end of it now. Thankfully I need to drive this evening so that can be the start of a long alcohol free run.

Hello everyone,

@DoctorDolittle The part of the world you live in sounds lovely. I've never visited Scotland, which is shameful. I really must. I've been numerous times to the UK and Ireland, but never to Scotland.

You seem to have planned an eventful weekend, and hope everything is going well. It is pouring down with rain here today, but I do have to get to the supermarket for a weekly shop. Seems like I'm in for a soaking. We sold our car a few months ago, and I'm still unprepared clothes-wise for walking in all weather. Must rectify that.

"Dashing away at the smoothing iron" - ha, I remember that line from Mr. Carson singing it on Downton Abbey :D.

@Verlag We do seem to have a lot of things and tastes in common. I too have painful feet and heels. Haven't really found out what it is, but it does seem a lot like your condition.

My weight loss has stalled this week. It's discouraging because this is where it usually stops and my body digs its heels in. It goes on like this until I get tired of it and then the weight creeps up to the set point again. This same old dance of losing and gaining the same 5 lbs is how it's been for a very long time. This time, I have to stop focusing on the scales and stick to what I'm doing, and focus on holistic improvement, and hope that in time the scales will move.

Have a good Sunday everyone.

@EasternEcho I went up and down the same 10lbs for months…I’d almost got to thinking going below that was somehow impossible for my body (and there was no point trying). I finally did what you’re talking about - just carried on being sensible and it worked. We self-sabotage for so many reasons. Maybe therapy should be provided on nhs for anyone over a particular bmi!

Talking of bmi, I weighed this morning and I am finally no longer obese!! I have to lose another 2 stone 2lbs to be a healthy bmi but with time I’m determined to get there.

Rain here today, swimming this afternoon and then the cinema to watch IF with a friend and her DD.

@DoctorDolittle That's awesome! Congratulations on getting into the lower range! We have the same number of lbs to lose to get into the normal range, as I'm shorter than you are. Let's do it.

Your messages this am encourage me...back in Ireland today and feeling it is difficult to stick to my eating "routines". Need to buy some vegetables...have been eating cheese ham and potatoes to excess so far. Arrived early yesterday on ferry then bus.
Had a wonderful morning today walking around my shaggy garden in the grey cool air. Foxgloves and buttercups, chives and aquilegias still in full swing. Last year's scabious has come back, electric mauvey blue. Dark red heucheras.
Just finished sequel to Brooklyn - "Long Island", set in Enniscorthy @Misshollys

This morning I shall do a long walk in my bright orange road/rain wear @EasternEcho 😁I haven't brought my walking shoes which was misguided. Still, I'm sure it's good for strengthening the bones.

@Nettleskeins your garden sounds identical to mine! I’ve just put one of my orange geums near the purple chives and they really compliment each other. I’ve tonnes of vipers bugloss in the back which is absolutely covered in bees, hypnotic to watch.
Yesterday I dealt with the veg - I’ve globe artichoke, which I’ve never grown or eaten before, courgettes are doing well, the chard and french beans too.

We used to grow them when I was younger. Very ornsmental when they go to seed, large silvery tall, purple flowers. Practically a hedge! We boiled the heads and then sat down with melted butter and lemon juice and slowly picked off the leaves one by one to dip in butter until you got to the centre which you ate with a spoon, discarding the "choke".
Not quite the same as Italian carciofi, ours had a finer flavour but less "centre".
Or vinaigrette instead of butter. With mustard.
July /August

@Nettleskeins they sound incredible! I was told to cut the heads off young this first year and discard, to produce more from next - but it sounds like they’ll be abundant anyway!

Very little appetite tonight, feel a bit under the weather tbh. Will drink water and have as early a night as possible I think.

Managed a long 5km walk but no gardening as it was too rainy to mow. Food has been: new potatoes, smoked cheese, tomatoes, chives, turkey slices, red pepper raw, squeeze x 3 mayonnaise with the potatoes.slice of carrot cake (yikes)
Tea and coffee with milk.

Hope you sleep well @DoctorDolittle

Thanks @Nettleskeins , your food yesterday sounds very tasty.

I slept deeply for once, feel okay now but still tired/headachy and just a bit meh. Today is a quiet day apart from a hospital appointment and going to the bed shop to look for a new bed for me…maybe I just need a rest, it’s been pretty stressful here recently.

Today’s food:
Roasted vegetables, quinoa, salmon, followed by fruit salad I think.

Have a great Monday everyone.

@DoctorDolittle How are you feeling??

I'm struggling these days. Constantly ravenous. Weight not going down despite low carbs, no alcohol, plenty of water, between 7 - 10K steps a day. I think I may have to start rigourously counting calories again. I hate that I have to go seriously low calories for any weight loss to show up. It's not sustainable. Trying to stay motivated and push on. Both knees are bothering me so have to take a break from exercising. Just feeling overall blah :) Reading posts on here helps keep me going.

The emerald top I ordered arrived and is beautiful and fits perfectly. One of the earings I ordered to go with it started falling apart as soon as I handled it despite it being quite expensive. Back it goes!

Have a great day everyone.

Great news about the emerald top @EasternEcho , sorry to hear you are struggling though. It is so hard :( .

I'm procrastinating again. I really thought I would've grown out of this by now. I'm not even trying at the moment, so I've got no positive news to share. I won't post again until I do!

@Verlag I'm sorry to hear of your struggles with procrastination. I too have it at times. I think at times like these the best we can do is put in the effort to maintain and not backslide, until we feel ready to make changes.

I plan on just keeping on keeping on doing what I do, as in low carb, even though I'm eating higher calories. At this stage if I try to cut back further I'll end of sabotaging myself.

I hope you will continue to post here even if things aren't going according to plan.